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Posts: 399
Location: WI | Thinking about leaving my deep cycle batteries in the boat over winter with the onboard charger plugged in. I'm in the Eau Claire, WI area so we can get -30 degrees a few times, but the boat stays in the garage. These are lead/acid series 27 batteries. |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Contrary to what some may say in various circles, Leaving them in the boat in the cold is actually the best thing you can do for your batteries, given they are fully charged. In cold, an unused battery does not discharge very much at all....but...to help reduce any sort of discharge that might take place, disconnect all other items from the battery and leave only your charger hooked up.
Then, all you need to do is plug your charger in every month for about an hour or so, just to keep the batteries topped off. I would suggest NOT leaving the charger plugged in, even if automatic, because if for some reason the charger fails, you might find bad things have happened like a battery that overcharged because an automatic shut off or trickle charge didn't kick in.
Do this, and your batteries will last a long, long time...
Steve
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Posts: 1023
| I’ve done this every winter for years and no problems. Make sure they are topped up. |
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Posts: 1279
| For years I had always removed my batteries, put them on 2 X 4s on the basement floor, and gave them an hour or so of charge once a month, and had no issues (they were very easy to access and remove). With the current boat, they are a pain in the you know what, to remove. I was given the advice above, to just top them off, disconnect everything, and leave them in the boat. Been doing that for the last five years, with no problems, and the batteries were not new when I got the boat. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | Northern IL. Boat's outside all winter. I leave the batteries in the boat. Plug in the charger every couple weeks overnight. No worries. |
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Posts: 427
| I'm from Northern Ohio and I've got the same advise as every one else. I've been leaving my batteries in the boat for the last 12 yrs with no problems. Just make sure you plug in the charger one a month or so to keep them fully charged. I started realizing that taking the batteries out was not necessary because my tow vehicle sat in the garage most of the Winter only being driven once a month or so and the battery was no worse for wear sitting idle. So what was the difference with my boat batteries sitting idle with and occasional charge to twerk them during the Winter? None so far that I've seen.
Edited by 7ovr50 11/8/2018 5:23 AM
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| Same here. Just set reminders in my phone to plug in the charger every four weeks and batteries seem to be fine. |
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Posts: 1516
| When disconnecting the battery do you disconnect both positive and negative or just the positive? |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I play safe and do both... I leave just the charger leads hooked up.
Steve |
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| leave in boat outside. charge before setting up for winter, charge again in late April. 11 seasons so far on the main battery. Original to the boat. |
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Posts: 416
Location: Madtown, WI | I left mine in the boat one winter and occasionally plugged in onboard charger. In the spring found batteries dead and onboard charger swollen and cracked. Probably just a crappy charger (bargain cave variety), but now I pull everything out. Onboard charger goes in the basement and 3 batteries get rotated on battery tender in the garage. |
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Posts: 2015
| My garage is heated ( set temp at 45) I’ve always left my 4 bank charger plugged in all winter, I usually get 4 years out of my batteries but am now wondering if I should not leave the automatic charger plugged in all winter? |
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Posts: 1516
| Last year I bought a timer that turns on every two weeks or at what ever interval you want to charge the trolling batteries. The starter I top the charge off before it goes in for storage and disconnect it and don't charge it all winter. Also a heated storage temps in 40's so far so good. If I had access to it over the winter I wouldn't use the timer. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | stdevos - 11/9/2018 3:28 PM
I left mine in the boat one winter and occasionally plugged in onboard charger. In the spring found batteries dead and onboard charger swollen and cracked. Probably just a crappy charger (bargain cave variety), but now I pull everything out. Onboard charger goes in the basement and 3 batteries get rotated on battery tender in the garage.
Man, that's a lot of unnecessary work. Just get a quality onboard charger and be done with it. Make sure the batteries are topped off with water before you put the boat to bed for the winter.
Edited by gregk9 11/9/2018 6:01 PM
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Posts: 416
Location: Madtown, WI | gregk9 - 11/9/2018 5:58 PM
stdevos - 11/9/2018 3:28 PM
I left mine in the boat one winter and occasionally plugged in onboard charger. In the spring found batteries dead and onboard charger swollen and cracked. Probably just a crappy charger (bargain cave variety), but now I pull everything out. Onboard charger goes in the basement and 3 batteries get rotated on battery tender in the garage.
Man, that's a lot of unnecessary work. Just get a quality onboard charger and be done with it. Make sure the batteries are topped off with water before you put the boat to bed for the winter.
Not really, all batteries and charger are very accessible and use wing nuts to attach onboard charger. I take EVERYTHING out of my boat in the winter then never have to worry about anything (mice, moisture, rust, theft, whatev). I live in town with my boat parked in driveway, so I don't keep much in there anyway to avoid theft. A little work gives me lots of peace of mind. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I switched over to the once-every-few-weeks plug in method several years ago and that seems to have resulted in better results than when I used to yank them in inside or especially when I would just unhook and leave them
in the boat all winter
Edited by Musky Brian 11/10/2018 8:16 AM
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Posts: 298
Location: Not where I want to be! | I disconnect one lead on each battery and leave them in the boat. The disconnect is mainly in case a mouse chews on wires and prevents a possible fire.
Main thing is to top off the water before you put it away, and be sure to fully charge them. That mixes up the acid and water and will prevent freezing. Lead acid batteries go dormant in cold weather, they don't die. Been doing this for 20 years, no problems. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | stdevos - 11/10/2018 8:00 AM
Not really, all batteries and charger are very accessible and use wing nuts to attach onboard charger. I take EVERYTHING out of my boat in the winter then never have to worry about anything (mice, moisture, rust, theft, whatev). I live in town with my boat parked in driveway, so I don't keep much in there anyway to avoid theft. A little work gives me lots of peace of mind.
If it works for you that's all that matters. But isn't your charger mounted in the boat?
The idea of heaving three batteries out of my boat plus taking off the charger is not something I'd look forward to doing at all! Besides, I run my out boards for a few minutes when we get the January thaw and maybe again some time in Feb. That way I never really have to *winterize*. |
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Posts: 1036
| My boat lives in a heated garage. Doesn't get below 40 in there too often and usually sits at 45 or so. I have four batteries and I simply hit the breakers on them then plug in the charger every 3 weeks or so for a couple of hours. Batteries have been good to go come end of February when the real fun begins. |
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Location: 31 | gregk9 - 11/10/2018 10:03 AM
stdevos - 11/10/2018 8:00 AM
Not really, all batteries and charger are very accessible and use wing nuts to attach onboard charger. I take EVERYTHING out of my boat in the winter then never have to worry about anything (mice, moisture, rust, theft, whatev). I live in town with my boat parked in driveway, so I don't keep much in there anyway to avoid theft. A little work gives me lots of peace of mind.
If it works for you that's all that matters. But isn't your charger mounted in the boat?
The idea of heaving three batteries out of my boat plus taking off the charger is not something I'd look forward to doing at all! Besides, I run my out boards for a few minutes when we get the January thaw and maybe again some time in Feb. That way I never really have to *winterize*.
It sounds more like removing the batteries is more of a theft deterrent than anything. I've been leaving the batteries in my boat since the late 1980s with no problems, also pull my boat out and start it up a couple times in the winter as well.
Edited by Jerry Newman 11/12/2018 11:13 AM
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Posts: 29
| If battery fully charged,cables disconnected ,leave in boat for winter,Do the big 4 have someone go thru there lots in winter and disconnect battery. |
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Batteries & winter